Spring Break Budgeting

With spring break just around the corner, vacation plans are yours for the making. Will this be the year your family travels or will you continue to work while your kids go to camp? Whatever your decision, use these tips to enjoy your time without breaking the bank.—Plan early. Shop for package deals on Travelocity.com, Orbitz.com and Expedia.com at least three weeks in advance to take advantage of cheaper rates. Stretch your savings even further with travel coupons on RetailMeNot.com. Also consider traveling with another family and saving with group rates on travel fees, car rental rates and hotel stays. Lastly, think about visiting and staying with out-of-town family members. This will help you save at least $100 a day on hotel fees.—Consider a staycation. According to an American Express survey, the average family expects to spend $1,200 per person, per year on vacations. Many parents are finding it too expensive to travel during their child’s spring break, so they opt to explore events in their own town and end up saving on gas, housing, travel and dining-out expenses. Think of it as a great time to discover your local museums, libraries, hiking trails, landmarks, parks, zoos and festivals. Find these events by searching your city’s chamber of commerce website and online calendar of events.—Research camps. Spring break camps can cost anywhere from $150 to $300 per child, but there are cheaper alternatives. Compare prices at your local recreation centers, dance studios, libraries, gymnastics center, karate studios and zoo. These camps usually offer scholarship opportunities for needy families and a reduced rate for booking early. Also, ask the organization if it offers discounts for having multiple children attend or referring friends to the program.—Volunteer. Consider volunteering your time by providing financial education to students through Junior Achievement; delivering food to needy families through Meals on Wheels; helping families with sick children at a local Ronald McDonald House; building a home with Habitat for Humanity; or taking care of pets at your local Humane Society. Volunteering is a wonderful way to bond with your children, meet new people and help your community. According to United Way, volunteering is also shown to improve health and build self-esteem in teens. Furthermore, your teens could use this experience to build their college résumés.—Get creative. Encourage your kids to use their imagination to create new projects and have at-home adventures. Plan a scavenger hunt listing out 20 items that they could find around the house or yard. Let the first person to complete the challenge win the right to pick the movie or dinner for that night. You could also allow your kids to use your phone or camera to make a home movie with friends. At the end of the night, pop some popcorn and watch the movie as a family.—Let your kids be your little helpers. Kids love to do things that their parents do, so let them help out during the break.Consider taking some time to teach them how to cook dinner: Let them pick the menu, go grocery shopping with you and cook the meal with your guidance. Or ask your kids to help you with fun projects around the house, like building a shelf, painting a room or creating a garden.
As you can see, fun doesn’t have to be expensive. The sooner you begin planning, the cheaper and more creative your spring break will be.